Message from the Chair

We have just finished another National Reconciliation Week with the theme this year being “Be Brave. Make Change.” -  a challenge for us all as doctors in training as we grow our profession and continue to develop our skills in practising culturally safe medicine. You will note below is an update on our most recent AMACDT Trainee Forum, supported by the Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association (AIDA), where we discussed how we can all do better to support our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander trainee colleagues progress through medical training. This is particularly important given our First Nations trainees in Australia are facing so many challenges along the way. This is compounded by the inexcusably high levels of bullying, discrimination and harassment First Nations trainees are experiencing with levels of greater than 1 in 2 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander trainees being subject to this behaviour. It is important to note, when compared to the general trainee population of 1 in 3 trainees who witness or experience bullying and/or harassment (which is an abhorrent figure in itself), it is clear that racism is one of the key differentiating factors that is contributing to this higher statistic. 

We know bullying, discrimination and harassment is one of the drivers for poor DiT wellbeing. Last week we celebrated Crazy Socks 4 Docs Day which was a great reminder of the ongoing need to shed a light on the stigma faced by all doctors experiencing mental health issues. Many appreciate that we need to go further, and after the recent loss of further colleague’s lives from our profession it is a call for us to all do more and to challenge the systemic factors that lead to poor wellbeing in the first place. Changing the culture of medicine is not a simple task, but you will see below the AMA Council of Doctors in Training are advocating for making tangible steps forward that we hope will make a real difference in this space. We cannot afford to lose more of our colleagues because of the poorly structured and stretched system we encounter on a daily basis. 

I would like to also take this opportunity to wish everyone a Happy Pride Month! So many of our community face prejudices with subsequent poor health outcomes. I am proud to say that the AMA has taken a strong stance to support the LGBTQIA+ community including our members who self-identify as part of the community. You can read more in our AMA Position Statement here: https://www.ama.com.au/articles/lgbtqia-health-2021 

Finally, as I write this eDiT, the elections for the new AMA Federal Council are underway, and soon my successor for the CDT Chair will be announced. I thank all of you as the AMA DiT members across the country for your ongoing support and advocacy to improve the system we work and train in. Without your support, none of the work that we do could be possible, and I encourage you to get as involved as your able to either with your State or Territory AMA and/or the Federal AMA. 

As always, your feedback is welcome! 

Hash 

Dr Hashim Abdeen 
Chair AMA Council of Doctors in Training